The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1887-07-20
ANOTHER MASS MEETING.
Natives and orientals in Convention.


Ever since the climax Of the great
political movement resulting in the
change of Government and Constitu.
ton, there has been much talk of a
mass n Getting being held by those dis
affected over the revolution. When
the buzz in this respect had about died
away, the projected m IS meeting was
suddenly announced with very brief
notice, and the event has come and
gone like rain cloud over the Nuuanu
Pail Yesterday morning pOsters in
Hawaiian about town intimated that
there was to be mass meeting held at
Luis yard, Fort street, at IL O'Clock
noon.
Members Of the press found the
meeting in full blast shortly after that
hour, the spot being the old German
Club premises. There were from three
to four hundred people present, prob
ably two thirds Of them natives and the
balance principally Chinese, Of whom
many we're the leading merchants OF
that nationality. Among the Ha-
waiians present were Messrs ]. NJ. Ka-
pena and Junius Kaae, members Of the
House Of Mobiles under the old Con-
stitution, and both well-known figures
in the recent history Of the Kingdom.
Mr.. Kanui was called to the chair.
The meeting was opened with prayer
by the Rev. Mr.. Mahoe, of Kauai
Mr.. ]. M. Poepoe, attorney, was the
first speaker. He explained the extra
ordinary circumstance Of the meeting
being held outside by saying that all
doors were closed against them, so
they met under the blue canopy Of
heaven.
Mr.. Keigcro Katsura, a Japanese
lawyer from Waikiki, was then in
troduced He said from his bret
residence he was not well acquainted
with the country and he was no poll
tician. First OF several reasons why
he should address the meeting was that
he had sworn allegiance to His Ma
jesty when he was admitted TO the
Hawaiian bar, and to support the Con-
stitution and the laws; so that he was
on the same footing here as a native OF
the Kingdom. He thought he should
hove SEINE voice in administering the
affairs Of the country, and from a
moral point Of view il was proper for
him to defend bis right He was
speaking for his Japanese countrymen
especially. At present most Of them
were only laborers and had no voice in
the Government; but the Chinese were
different. There we're plenty Of
Japanese who intended remaining in
this country after their labor contracts
were finished, and so should have
something to say in the future. Wher
he saw an obstacle in the way o.
Japanese rights he should endeavor to
remove it. He had read the new
Constitution and seen in it several OBJ
jectionable points In regard to tn,
term "new," il was question whethe
it was new He closed with a defini
ton of the word "Constitution" &C
cording to American authorities, beinI
required by the managers to cut hi
remarks short at that point.
Mr. ID. l.. Ahphart, Representative
Chinaman, next spoke He said tina
although on its face there was ne,
Constitution, yet it was not Const
tuition according to the criterion pre-
pounded by Mr.. Thurston at the othe
meeting, which was that Constitutio
was contract that required the agree
ment Of two parties to make it vail.
The speaker illustrated this argumer
with the smile Of horse-buying trar
saction He wanted it understood thi
no blame was to be attached to II
Majesty for signing the Constitution
but thought the person to blame W;
somebody behind him. After the Kir
signed, then let all the people sig
after him. He discussed the point
whether it was new Constitution {
the old one amended, concluding tn;
there were very few changes and b
ieving that the new was better tina
the old in many respects. Why wei
certain persons arrested for embezzl,
ment of public funds and after sever
postponements released in the darl
ness of night1 Did the old Constitute
allow assembly with arms2 (Cries of NJ
no. So far as civil rights were col
cerned there we're no material change
the only ones being those affecting II
Cabinet and granting Of suffrage
The speaker Produced figures shown
that the poll and property tax paid |
Asiatics in 1886 amounted to 500, oo
import duties to 100000, busine